Block type or three dimension sign



Jan. 22, 1957 c. s.,w|| l EY 778,134

BLOCK .TYPE 0R THREE DIMENSION SIGN Filed March 2, 195s INVENToR. CML/of S. l/MLLEY BY /,aal/ @mi dm Arrow/6K5.

2,778,134 BLOCK TYPE OR THREE DIMENSION SIGN Claude S. Willey, Mount Clemens, Mich., assignor to Willey Sign Company, Incorporated, Mount Clemens, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 2, 1953, Serial No. 339,659 3 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to signs-signs involving letters or figures of the block type or three dimensions. The purpose of the invention is to provide a very attractive out with emphasis and at ranged to provide an additional attractiveness by reason of contrast between lines of bright light and a background of dimmer light.

The block letters or figures are made out of a translucent plastic and the outer surface is reeded so as to provide indentations, preferably parallel lines that are in parallelism with the outline of the letter and ligure. In substantially exact parallelism beneath the indentations of the reeded surface are a line type of lights, preferably neon or fluorescent. This results in concentrating or focusing the light rays at the back of the indentation and diffusing of spreading the light on the tinted inside surface of the plastic which forms a lens. This results in a very decided contrast between the light at the peak of the indentations and the light on the remaining surfaces of the translucent plastic block letter or ligure. In other words, one has an illuminated three dimension or block letter with sharp lines of light paralleling the outline of the letter so as to give a very pleasing and attractive effect.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the block letter P.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section showing how the plastic front of the letter is secured to the frame and the backing plate.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

The frame is constructed of the extruded aluminum strips 1 which are F shaped in cross section. The backing plate 2 is of metal, preferably galvanized steel, and has folded over flanges 3 which are fitted into the lower elbow of the F frame and the frame bars are secured in place by screws 4. The edge of the flange rests on a sealing strip of rubber or similar material 5 that may be cemented to the center bar of the F. The upper part of the F forms a channel to receive the sealing strips 6 and 7 which are cemented in place. The plastic letter 3 is a channel which is pressed out of a sheet of plastic material such as Plexiglas, for example. This material is cnt up into sheets and then heated for several minutes in a furnace to relatively high heat. Then it is put onto a hollow under-die which has no forming surfaces, and a draw ring is clamped on the edges of the die to tightly hold the edges of the plastic material. Then a punch is forced down onto the stretched sheet of plastic and this punch draws the sheet and forms a letter of channel section and with the reeds on the bottom of the channel, and the inside is uted. Thus there is formed a corrugated channel face made entirely of longitudinally extending parallel, shallow, inverted U-shaped ribs known length of the :ing parallel V-shaped valleys 2,778,134 Patented Jan.,a2.,19s7

,in the trade as reeds .joined by longitudinally extendknnwn in the trade as utes' .These flutes.nrreedsformsvalleys Whshappear as peaks on the inside of the plastic letter, and these 9, preferably neon, which are supported on the stanchions 10 secured by screws 11 to the backing plate 2. The

the proper voltage and amperage.

The light striking the peaks 12 of the flutes or reeds is concentrated because these valleys provide a convex surface or lens facing these lines of light and therefore the light beams are focused or concentrated, producing on the valleys 13 between the ribs 14 a very bright light. The'liutes or ribs are not in a direct line with the beams diffuse the light. The result is that when the letter is illuminated at night, the great body of the letter presents a soft but very attractive light, while the indentations or valleys between the ribs form a sharp, bright light which emphasizes the outline of the letter and gives the letters a slenderizing effect. The face of the letter is broad and the depth of the letter is great to produce the effect of a large volume of light and color, but only two lines of light as a source are required. The sealing strips at the base of the letter are substantially weathertight so as to exclude dust and dirt. The corrugation of the face of the channel adds to the physical strength of the figure or letter.

The color of the plastic material may vary. I have had very good results with a red letter, a yellow letter, and a blue letter, but I do not limit myself vto any particular color.

What I claim is:

l. A block sign letter or the like comprising a base, illuminating means affixed to the base, and a translucent channel member affixed to the base over the illuminating means and comprising a translucent plastic hollow block in which the back of the channel is formed by shallow U- shaped ribs joined by sharp valleys which comprise surfaces extending deeply inwardly of the block to focus and converge the light rays toward the outside of the letter thereby forming lens affording bright lines when the block is illuminated from the inside while the U-shaped ribs present concave surfaces diffusing the rays of light and presenting a soft light background in contrast to the bright lines produced by the valleys.

2. The letter claimed in claim l with linear electric lights supported in the base in alignment and parallel with the valleys so the lights deliver lines of light directly to the convex surfaces on thefvalleys, which surfaces concentrate and focus the light to make bright lines contrasting with the soft lighting effects of the remainder of the block letter.

3. A block sign letter comprising a base with a unitary translucent channel member fixed thereon to define a hollow block in the shape of a letter and illuminating means fixed on the base and extending throughout the interior of the hollow block, said channel having sides for emitting light and also having a face formed entirely of longitudinally extending, parallel sha1- low inverted U-shaped ribs joined by longitudinally extending, parallel V-shaped valleys, -the surfaces on said translucent member at the valleys concentrating the light rays passing through said valleys to emit sharp parallel lines Qf brightlight therat as ontrasted to the light passing through said ribs.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Iacobowitz June 8, 1915 Borkland' Dec. 2, 1941 Storck May 30, 1882 Christensen Mar. 26, 1907 Strauss July 15, 1919 Grunhut Oct. 7, 1930 Kelly Sept. 1, 1931 Nauth May 11, 1937 Simpson Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIG PATENTS Great Britain May 4, 1903 Denmark Dec. 27, 192.7 

